2 students speaking with professor in office

LLM in Elder Law - Curriculum

Students in the Elder Law LLM program will complete these required courses:

  • Aging and the Law
  • Long-Term Care Planning
  • Tax and the Elder Law Client
  • Ethics in the Practice of Elder Law
  • Guardianship and Alternatives
  • Retirement Planning
  • Select Topics in Elder Law (Three-day on-campus course taken in the student's first Fall semester)

Students must take six credit hours of electives and may choose from the following courses:

  • Disability Law* 
  • Government and Private Health Benefits
  • Estate Planning and Drafting 
  • Veterans' Benefits

See Course Descriptions for more details on the above courses.

*Disability Law may be used for the required Long-Term Care Planning course with the approval of the Elder Law LLM Program Director.

By taking two courses per semester, students can complete the requirements for the LLM degree within four semesters. Candidates must satisfactorily complete 25 hours of academic credit and will take no more than three classes per semester. Most classes are three credits.

Examinations

Most of the courses will require a final examination. Open-book examinations will most often be offered electronically. The Registrar's Office will provide details.

Grades

Students in the LLM in Elder Law are graded on an honors basis. Possible grades include High Honors, Honors, Pass, Credit and Fail. On a 4.0 scale:

  • High Honors is the equivalent of grades 3.5 and higher
  • Honors is 3.0-3.25
  • Pass is 2.0-2.75 
  • Credit is 1.25-1.75
  • Fail is a grade below 1.25.